The conversion of oxygenates to olefins (OTO) is currently the subject of intense research because it has the potential for replacing the long-standing steam cracking technology that is today the industry-standard for producing world scale quantities of ethylene and propylene. The very large volumes involved suggest that substantial economic incentives exist for alternate technologies that can deliver high throughputs of light olefins in a cost efficient manner. Whereas steam cracking relies on non-selective thermal reactions of naphtha range hydrocarbons at very high temperatures, OTO exploits catalytic and micro-architectural properties of acidic molecular sieves under milder temperature conditions to produce high yields of ethylene and propylene from methanol.
Current understanding of the OTO reactions suggests a complex sequence in which three major steps can be identified: (1) an induction period leading to the formation of an active carbon pool (alkyl-aromatics), (2) alkylation-dealkylation reactions of these active intermediates leading to products, and (3) a gradual build-up of condensed ring aromatics. OTO is therefore an inherently transient chemical transformation in which the catalyst is in a continuous state of change. The ability of the catalyst to maintain high olefin yields for prolonged periods of time relies on a delicate balance between the relative rates at which the above processes take place. The formation of coke-like molecules is of singular importance because their accumulation interferes with the desired reaction sequence in a number of ways. In particular, coke renders the carbon pool inactive, lowers the rates of diffusion of reactants and products, increases the potential for undesired secondary reactions and limits catalyst life.
Over the last two decades, many catalytic materials have been identified as being useful for carrying out the OTO reactions. Crystalline molecular sieves are the preferred catalysts today because they simultaneously address the acidity and morphological requirements for the reactions. Particularly preferred materials are eight-membered ring aluminosilicates, such as those having the chabazite (CHA) framework type, as well as aluminophosphates (AlPOs) and silicoaluminophosphates (SAPOs) of the CHA framework type, such as SAPO-34.
Chabazite is a naturally occurring zeolite with the approximate formula Ca6Al12Si24O72. Three synthetic forms of chabazite are described in “Zeolite Molecular Sieves”, by D. W. Breck, published in 1973 by John Wiley & Sons, the complete disclosure of which is incorporated herein by specific reference. The three synthetic forms reported by Breck are Zeolite “K-G”, described in J. Chem. Soc., p. 2822 (1956), Barrer et al; Zeolite D, described in British Patent No. 868,846 (1961); and Zeolite R, described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,030,181 (1962). Zeolite K-G zeolite has a silica:alumina mole ratio of 2.3:1 to 4.15:1, whereas zeolites D and R have silica:alumina mole ratios of 4.5:1 to 4.9:1 and 3.45:1 to 3.65:1, respectively.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,440,871, the synthesis of a wide variety of SAPO materials of various framework types is described with a number of specific examples. Also disclosed are a large number of possible organic templates, with some specific examples. In the specific examples a number of CHA framework type materials are described. The preparation of SAPO-34 is reported, using tetraethylammonium hydroxide (TEAOH), or isopropylamine, or mixtures of TEAOH and dipropylamine (DPA) as templates. Also disclosed is a specific example that utilizes cyclohexylamine in the preparation of SAPO-44. Although other template materials are described, there are no other templates indicated as being suitable for preparing SAPO's of the CHA framework type.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,162,415 discloses the synthesis of a silicoaluminophosphate molecular sieve, SAPO-44, which has a CHA framework type in the presence of a directing agent comprising cyclohexylamine or a cyclohexylammonium salt, such as cyclohexylammonium chloride or cyclohexylammonium bromide.
Silicoaluminophosphates of the CHA framework type with low silicon contents are particularly desirable for use in the methanol-to-olefins process. Thus, Wilson, et al., Microporous and Mesoporous Materials, 29, 117-126, 1999 report that it is beneficial to have lower Si content for methanol-to-olefins reaction, in particular because low Si content has the effect of reducing propane formation and decreasing catalyst deactivation.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,620,983 discloses a method for preparing silicoaluminophosphate molecular sieves, and in particular low silica silicoaluminophosphate molecular sieve having a Si/Al atomic ratio of less than 0.5, which process comprises forming a reaction mixture comprising a source of aluminum, a source of silicon, a source of phosphorus, at least one organic template, at least one compound which comprises two or more fluorine substituents and capable of providing fluoride ions, and inducing crystallization of the silicoaluminophosphate molecular sieve from the reaction mixture. Suitable organic templates are said to include one or more of tetraethyl ammonium hydroxide, tetraethyl ammonium phosphate, tetraethyl ammonium fluoride, tetraethyl ammonium bromide, tetraethyl ammonium chloride, tetraethyl ammonium acetate, dipropylamine, isopropylamine, cyclohexylamine, morpholine, methylbutylamine, morpholine, diethanolamine, and triethylamine. In the Examples, crystallization is conducted by heating the reaction mixture to 170° C. over 18 hours and then holding the mixture at this temperature for 18 hours to 4 days.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,793,901 discloses a method for preparing a microporous silicoaluminophosphate molecular sieve having the CHA framework type, which process comprises (a) forming a reaction mixture comprising a source of aluminum, a source of silicon, a source of phosphorus, optionally at least one source of fluoride ions and at least one template containing one or more N,N-dimethylamino moieties, (b) inducing crystallization of the silicoaluminophosphate molecular sieve from the reaction mixture, and (c) recovering silicoaluminophosphate molecular sieve from the reaction mixture. Suitable templates are said to include one or more of N,N-dimethylethanolamine, N,N-dimethylbutanolamine, N,N-dimethylheptanolamine, N,N-dimethylhexanolamine, N,N-dimethylethylenediamine, N,N-dimethylpropylenediamine, N,N-dimethylbutylene-diamine, N,N-dimethylheptylenediamine, N,N-dimethylhexylenediamine, or dimethyl-ethylamine, dimethylpropylamine, dimethyl-heptylamine, and dimethylhexylamine. When conducted in the presence of fluoride ions, the synthesis is effective in producing low silica silicoaluminophosphate molecular sieves having a Si/Al atomic ratio of from 0.01 to 0.1. In the Examples, crystallization is conducted by heating the reaction mixture to 170 to 180° C. for 1 to 5 days.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,835,363 discloses a process for preparing microporous crystalline silicoaluminophosphate molecular sieves of CHA framework type, the process comprising: (a) providing a reaction mixture comprising a source of alumina, a source of phosphate, a source of silica, hydrogen fluoride and an organic template comprising one or more compounds of formula (I):(CH3)2N—R—N(CH3)2 where R is an alkyl radical of from 1 to 12 carbon atoms; (b) inducing crystallization of silicoaluminophosphate from the reaction mixture; and (c) recovering silicoaluminophosphate molecular sieve. Suitable templates are said to include one or more of the group consisting of: N,N,N′,N′-tetramethyl-1,3-propane-diamine, N,N,N′,N′-tetramethyl-1,4-butanediamine, N,N,N′,N′-tetramethyl-1,3-butanediamine, N,N,N′,N′-tetramethyl-1,5-pentanediamine, N,N,N′,N′-tetramethyl-1,6-hexanediamine, N,N,N′,N′-tetramethyl-1,7-heptanediamine, N,N,N′,N′-tetramethyl-1,8-octanediamine, N,N,N′,N′-tetramethyl-1,9-nonanediamine N,N,N′,N′-tetramethyl-1,10-decanediamine, N,N,N′,N′-tetramethyl-1,11-undecanediamine and N,N,N′,N′-tetramethyl-1,12-dodecanediamine. In the Examples, crystallization is conducted by heating the reaction mixture to 120 to 200° C. for 4 to 48 hours.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,247,287 discloses the synthesis of silicoaluminophosphate molecular sieves having the CHA framework type employing a directing agent having the formula:R1R2N—R3 wherein R1 and R2 are independently selected from the group consisting of alkyl groups having from 1 to 3 carbon atoms and hydroxyalkyl groups having from 1 to 3 carbon atoms and R3 is selected from the group consisting of 4- to 8-membered cycloalkyl groups, optionally substituted by 1 to 3 alkyl groups having from 1 to 3 carbon atoms; and 4- to 8-membered heterocyclic groups having from 1 to 3 heteroatoms, said heterocyclic groups being optionally substituted by 1 to 3 alkyl groups having from 1 to 3 carbon atoms and the heteroatoms in said heterocyclic groups being selected from the group consisting of O, N, and S. Preferably, the directing agent is selected from N,N-dimethylcyclohexylamine, N,N-dimethyl-methylcyclohexylamine, N,N-dimethyl-cyclopentylamine, N,N-dimethyl-methylcyclopentylamine, N,N-dimethylcycloheptyl-amine, N,N-dimethyl-methyl-cycloheptylamine, and most preferably is N,N-dimethyl-cyclohexylamine. The synthesis can be effected with or without the presence of fluoride ions and, in the Examples, crystallization is conducted by heating the reaction mixture to 180° C. for 3 to 7 days.
According to the present invention, it has unexpectedly been found that the order of addition and relative homogenization of the synthesis mixture components, as well as whether certain synthesis mixture components are inorganic or organic, in silicoaluminophosphate molecular sieve formulations can enhance certain desirable properties, such as reducing the crystal size of the product, while still maintaining an acceptable product yield. Interestingly, the use of organic sources of silicon, and optionally also phosphorus, as opposed to inorganic sources, can facilitate a more intimate/reactive combination of synthesis mixture components and appears to be a robust way to make the synthesis mixture, preferably resulting in more desirable molecular sieve products.